Real Madrid clawed their way back into the most exhilarating game of the season so far, coming from two goals down for the second time in four days to deny Las Palmas a first-ever win at the Bernabeu in 32 Liga attempts. Madrid took a deserved lead through Isco and lost it 60 seconds later when Tana thrashed an unstoppable shot past Keylor Navas. The visitors profited early in the second half from Gareth Bale's moment of madness, scoring twice in three minutes shortly after the Welshman's dismissal before Cristiano Ronaldo replied late on to salvage a point.

Positives

Once again Zinedine Zidane's side defied the odds to overturn a two-goal deficit. Before Sunday, it had never been required under the Frenchman within 90 minutes. On Wednesday, it was achieved in the final 10 minutes when the visitors had looked more likely to add to the scoreboard as Real's defence went on a collective walkabout. With Barcelona moving to the top of the table earlier in the day, a second defeat in a week -- and a first at home in almost a year -- would have been crushing. Real created a raft of chances and had the ball in the net three times and twice within the opening 11 minutes, albeit from offside positions. A less vigilant linesman may have settled the affair before half-time.

Negatives

Zidane's high line was perhaps too high against a team like Las Palmas, who were not going to retreat into an accommodating shell. The visitors bossed possession, made more tackles, recovered the ball more often, were more accurate in their passing and had just three fewer attempts on goal than Madrid, with more on target. Zidane's defence is a shambles and could have conceded four or five.

Manager rating out of 10

6 -- Zidane was right to ring the changes. Isco and Mateo Kovacic stood out on the night and bringing on Lucas Vazquez to chase the game was the right call. Karim Benzema's introduction was also timely and although hooking Ronaldo would have been forgivable, the Portuguese gave a master class in why you don't bring up his number at a time like this.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Keylor Navas, 6 -- There's only so much Navas can do and recent criticism of the keeper is misplaced. His rush to meet Kevin-Prince Boateng was ill-advised, but behind a back four that can't defend a lead for 60 seconds Navas' turf-slapping frustration was fair. He almost saved a penalty with his trailing foot and made two good saves from Jese.

DF Dani Carvajal, 6 -- Generally had his erstwhile cantera teammate Jese in his pocket and made a good covering block on Boateng in the first half. Pinned back against a side with similar pretensions, Carvajal put in a shift that Marcelo should be shown in video form on Thursday morning.

DF Sergio Ramos, 4 -- His tendency to lunge into every tackle allowed Tana the space to rifle in Las Palmas' reply. A good tackle in the second half was immediately followed by a penalty decision against the captain, who can consider himself lucky not to have followed Bale down the tunnel for what looked suspiciously like a deliberate handball.

DF Nacho, 6 -- A solid performance was marked by Nacho's decision to step up to prevent Boateng a clean run through on five minutes. Las Palmas tried the same thing when Isco stole in behind their rearguard; Dani Castellano could have been credited with the assist for Real's opener as he aimed for the halfway line in an almost identical attempt to spring the offside trap.

DF Marcelo, 5 -- Marcelo read a Jese cross that eluded his teammates, nobody else having picked up Jonathan Viera's run. He tried to cover Boateng's bolt for a comedy goal but should maybe have ordered Navas back. This was not the greatest game to be relying on the Brazilian for defensive cohesion.

MF Toni Kroos, 5 -- Had an off game. He was brushed aside too often, his passing radar was completely off with long balls flying to the four corners of the pitch and he did little defensively in the absence of his habitual cohorts in midfield.

MF Mateo Kovacic, 7 -- A glorious through ball for Isco's opener displayed Kovacic's talent for picking a defensive lock. His efforts on the back foot didn't do his case for a bit more pitch time any harm either.

MF Isco, 8 -- May well wonder what he has to do to earn a starting place in this side. After his game-winning turn against Villarreal and a cool finish to open the scoring in the Bernabeu on Wednesday playing off the last defender where he is at his best, Isco was the first number on Zidane's board despite being the best player on the pitch for 60 minutes.

FW Gareth Bale, 3 -- Zidane knows a little about losing one's head, or using it to make a point, but Bale appeared to have little provocation to kick out at Vieira and then shove the Las Palmas midfielder to the floor. More than anyone, he will have been relieved that his handbags did not incur greater punishment in the score line.

FW Cristiano Ronaldo, 8 -- Cut a frustrated figure for much of the game and his annoyance was capped with a yellow for a dive on 81 minutes. He then stepped up to crash home a penalty and added a header to make it 3-3 with a minute on the clock. Whatever went before, Real would have suffered if Ronaldo had been taken off.

FW Alvaro Morata, 6 -- How many offside hat tricks have there ever been where the "scorer" was the culprit only once? Morata had the ball in the net twice inside the opening 10 minutes and three times overall, also hitting the crossbar and shanking a shot horribly wide in the second half. A luckless evening for the striker, but he gave Zidane something to think about.

Substitutes

FW Lucas Vazquez, 6 -- On for Isco after the hour mark, Vazquez had a decent chance 10 minutes later.

FW Karim Benzema, 6 -- On for Morata with 20 minutes to play, he should at least have warmed Javi Varas' gloves three minutes later from a good position but as always he gave Real different options on the front foot.

MF James Rodriguez, 7 -- On at the same time as Benzema for Kovacic as Zidane chased a result, James assisted the eventual equaliser and was generally lively in another cameo appearance.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by ROB TRAIN

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